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NHL (National Hockey League)

Blues extend point streak to 5 with overtime victory against Flames

Colton Parayko scored the overtime goal, and Robert Thomas added a goal and two assists as the St. Louis Blues won 4-3 against the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Zack Bolduc and Pavel Buchnevich also scored for the Blues, who are 4-0-1 since Jim Montgomery took over as coach after Drew Bannister was fired on Nov. 24.

Goaltender Jordan Binnington made 36 saves, including 14 in the third period, and Philip Broberg assisted on two goals. The Blues managed to recover after losing a two-goal lead and a one-goal advantage.

Jakob Pelletier, Matt Coronato, and MacKenzie Weegar scored for the Flames, who have only one win in their last six games (1-3-2). Goalie Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots. This loss ended Calgary’s six-game home winning streak.

The Blues started strong when Bolduc scored a one-timer from the slot at 12:49 of the first period for his third goal of the season.

St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets

Thomas extended the lead at 14:49 with his fourth goal of the season, skating through defenders to the left circle and scoring with a sharp shot.

However, Pelletier quickly responded 15 seconds later, scoring his first goal of the season by putting in a rebound.

In the second period, Coronato tied the game with a power-play goal at 5:23, taking a shot from the high slot for his seventh goal. Calgary has scored on the power play in eight of their last nine games.

Buchnevich gave the Blues a 3-2 lead early in the third period, finishing off a nice passing play with a tap-in goal for his seventh of the season.

But just 66 seconds later, Weegar tied it for Calgary, scoring from the slot after a strong forecheck for his fourth goal

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Jets snap season-high losing streak with overtime victory

Adam Lowry scored late in overtime, and the Winnipeg Jets ended their season-high four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.

Gabriel Vilardi and Kyle Connor also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves. The Jets had struggled with a 3-7-0 record since winning 15 of their first 16 games. Lowry took advantage of a two-on-none with teammate Josh Morrissey, who had two assists, and scored with 1:01 left in overtime. The win ended their three-game road skid and also saw Mark Scheifele add two assists.

Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens scored for the Sabres, who have gone 0-3-2 after winning seven of their previous nine. Buffalo is also in a 0-2-2 slump at home.

The Sabres took the lead early, scoring just 3:27 into the game. Thompson, who was left open in the circle, hit the post for his 14th goal of the season, breaking an 0-for-16 power-play drought. Winnipeg quickly tied it less than a minute later when Haydn Fleury threw the puck toward the net, and Vilardi redirected it in for his 10th goal.

Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators (NHL)

Buffalo regained the lead with 8:31 left in the first period when Zach Benson set up Cozens for a goal.

The Jets answered in the second period, tying the game 3:06 into the frame with a power-play goal from Connor that got past Luukkonen.

Buffalo thought they had regained the lead with 2:24 left in the second when Tyson Kozak, a Manitoba native making his NHL debut, appeared to score. However, the goal was reviewed and overturned for goaltender interference.

The Sabres played without their captain, Rasmus Dahlin, who is dealing with back spasms.

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The Kraken came out strong and defeated the Islanders with a solid performance

Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists on Thursday night as the Seattle Kraken defeated the New York Islanders 5-2 in Elmont, N.Y.

Tye Kartye and Oliver Bjorkstrand scored in the first period, while Dunn and Shane Wright added goals in the second. Jaden Schwartz scored an empty-net goal in the third period to seal the win for the Kraken, who have now won the first two games of their four-game Eastern Conference road trip. Dunn assisted on both of the first-period goals.

Goaltender Joey Daccord held a shutout into the third period, finishing with 27 saves.

The Islanders, who have now lost 10 of their last 13 games, scored twice in the third period with goals from Noah Dobson and Maxim Tsyplakov. Ilya Sorokin made nine saves before being pulled after two periods, with Marcus Hogberg coming in and stopping all 11 shots he faced in his first NHL game since April 2021.

New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres

Kartye opened the scoring just 2:48 into the game when Dunn’s shot from between the blue line and the left faceoff circle deflected off Kartye’s stick and went under Sorokin’s glove. The Kraken doubled their lead with 3:02 left in the first period on a power-play goal. Dunn’s shot from above the left faceoff circle was tipped by Bjorkstrand and slipped under Sorokin’s arm.

Dunn added a goal in the second period when his shot from the left slot went over Sorokin’s shoulder, helped by a screen from Yanni Gourde. Wright scored another power-play goal with 6:55 left in the second, sending a shot under defenseman Scott Mayfield and past Sorokin after a pass from Brandon Montour.

Dobson broke Daccord’s shutout with a second-chance goal 8:03 into the third period. Tsyplakov made it 4-2 by scoring on a rebound with 4:23 left. Schwartz’s empty-net goal with 2:40 remaining ended the Islanders’ comeback attempt.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Andrei Svechnikov’s career-high performance leads Hurricanes to victory over Avalanche

Andrei Svechnikov scored an empty-net goal and added three assists, marking the first four-point game of his seven-year career in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C.

NHL points leader Martin Necas had a goal and an assist, while Eric Robinson, Seth Jarvis, and Jack Roslovic also scored for Carolina, which ended a three-game losing streak.

Pyotr Kochetkov made 16 saves, earning his first win since November 20. He had missed some time due to a concussion and had taken a loss in Tuesday’s game against Seattle.

Valeri Nichushkin scored twice for Colorado, while Artturi Lehkonen opened the scoring for the Avalanche. Colorado’s goalie Scott Wedgewood stopped 30 shots.

Wedgewood, who was acquired from Nashville last Saturday, made his first start for Colorado after getting a win in relief earlier in the week.

The Avalanche, playing the second game of a five-game road trip, couldn’t come back after recovering from a four-goal deficit in their 5-4 win over Buffalo on Tuesday night.

The teams scored three goals in the final 2:11, starting with Necas’ power-play goal that pushed Carolina to a 4-2 lead and increased his point total to 41.

Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

Nichushkin answered just 24 seconds later, but Svechnikov finished his career night with his ninth goal of the season with 16 seconds left.

Carolina won for the seventh time in 12 games where they allowed the first goal of the game.

The Avalanche took the lead 9:13 into the first period when Lehkonen capitalized on a Carolina defensive mistake, breaking away from the neutral zone to score.

Lehkonen has scored three goals in his last four games, bringing his season total to six, despite missing the first 12 games.

Carolina responded when Robinson scored his eighth goal at 16:05 in the first period.

The Hurricanes had two power-play opportunities in the first period but failed to score. However, Jarvis scored with the man advantage at 4:09 in the second period to give Carolina a 2-1 lead.

Roslovic added another goal less than three minutes later for his 13th of the season. He has been scoring at a much higher pace this year compared to the 2023-24 season, where he only had nine goals in 59 games with Columbus and the New York Rangers.

Nichushkin scored his first goal of the game at 14:41 in the third period before Necas answered with the game-winning goal.

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Josh Norris scores twice to help Senators narrowly defeat Red Wings

Josh Norris scored his second goal of the game with just 42 seconds left, giving the Ottawa Senators a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

Norris, who grew up in Oxford, Michigan, and played at the University of Michigan, beat Red Wings goalie Ville Husso with a wrist shot from the high slot during a fast break. This was Norris’ 11th goal of the season.

Drake Batherson had two assists, and Linus Ullmark made 19 saves for Ottawa, which ended a two-game losing streak.

Alex DeBrincat scored the only goal for Detroit, and Husso stopped 30 shots. The Red Wings lost their fourth straight game.

DeBrincat’s 4-on-3 power-play goal tied the game 1-1 at 6:15 of the third period. He fired a one-timer from the left faceoff circle off a pass from J.T. Compher, beating Ullmark for his 11th goal of the season.

Norris had given the Senators a 1-0 lead with 7:46 left in the first period. He backhanded his own rebound into the net after a turnover by the Red Wings’ Lucas Raymond in Detroit’s zone.

Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings

Ottawa seemed to take a 2-0 lead 4:29 into the second period. However, Batherson’s apparent power-play goal, which was a tap-in off a rebound from the backboards, was called off after Detroit challenged the play for being offside.

Detroit didn’t get many chances in the first two periods, and missed a good opportunity when captain Dylan Larkin had a breakaway with 7:41 left in the second. However, the puck slipped off Larkin’s stick as he tried to shoot from the slot.

Ottawa had a 27-12 shot advantage after two periods.

The Senators outshot Detroit 14-8 in the first period. The Red Wings didn’t get their first shot until 6:20 into the game, which came from defenseman Simon Edvinsson. By that time, Ottawa had already taken six shots.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Matthew Tkachuk records 5-point performance as Panthers defeat Flyers in high-scoring game

Sam Reinhart scored the go-ahead goal with 1:59 left, and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and four assists to lead the Florida Panthers to a 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

During a scramble in front of the net, Carter Verhaeghe made a no-look backhand pass to an open Reinhart, who blasted a slap shot into the empty net for his 19th goal, leading the league. This goal broke a 5-5 tie.

The goal came just after Joel Farabee of the Flyers was penalized for cross-checking, giving the Panthers a power play. Tkachuk added an empty-net goal with 11 seconds left to seal the win.

Owen Tippett scored twice, and Matvei Michkov had three assists for Philadelphia, which saw its three-game winning streak come to an end. Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov gave up two goals on seven shots, and Aleksei Kolosov allowed four goals on 20 shots in relief during the final two periods.

The Flyers were down 4-2 late in the second period when Tippett scored twice in just 23 seconds. First, he scored off a one-timer from Michkov, then he tapped in a rebound of his own shot to tie the game with 1:56 left in the second.

Sam Reinhart pumped after the goal

Garnet Hathaway gave Philadelphia a 5-4 lead at 14:21 of the third period, scoring during a scramble in front of the net. Florida answered with 5:17 left when Gustav Forsling scored from the blue line with a flip shot that Kolosov didn’t see.

Evan Rodrigues opened the game with a goal 2:36 into the first period, stealing the puck from Tyson Foerster and beating Fedotov. Niko Mikkola made it 2-0 less than five minutes later, and Aleksander Barkov increased the lead to 3-0 with a power-play goal off a great pass from Reinhart early in the second.

The second period saw six goals. Foerster and Nick Seeler scored for the Flyers, making it 3-2, but Verhaeghe restored Florida’s two-goal lead with a rebound goal over Kolosov’s shoulder.

Florida goalie Spencer Knight made 29 saves, helping the Panthers win four of their last five games.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Lightning dominate Sharks with five goals in first period for easy win

Brandon Hagel scored two goals in just 23 seconds during a five-goal first period as the Tampa Bay Lightning easily defeated the San Jose Sharks 8-1 on Thursday.

Cam Atkinson and Conor Geekie each had a goal and an assist before Hagel scored twice. Jake Guentzel, who finished with two points, added a goal to end the explosive period, helping the Lightning move closer to an 8-0-1 record in their last nine games against San Jose.

Anthony Cirelli, Nick Perbix, and Nick Paul also scored for Tampa Bay. Brayden Point recorded a career-high four assists in his 600th NHL game, while Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh each provided two assists.

Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves to improve his all-time record to 8-2-0 against San Jose. This was his second win in his last five starts. The Lightning have alternated wins and losses over their past six games.

Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks, who dropped to 4-8-4 on the road and had their three-game winning streak come to an end.

San Jose Sharks (NHL)

Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek gave up five goals on 12 shots and was pulled after the first period. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 21 of 24 shots in relief.

Despite playing without top-line right winger Nikita Kucherov, the Lightning were dominant, getting two goals from their third line on their first six shots.

Atkinson scored Tampa Bay’s third shot on Vanecek just 86 seconds into the game by deflecting Geekie’s long shot for his third goal. Geekie added his fourth goal at 7:29.

Hagel then scored twice, first deking Vanecek at 8:32, and then adding his 12th goal at 8:55, giving Tampa Bay three goals in 1:26. Guentzel capped the period with his 11th goal on a power play at 17:45.

In the second period, McDonagh’s shot was tipped in by Cirelli for his 11th goal, and ninth in his last 10 games, at 4:16. Perbix added his third goal to extend the lead to 7-0 by the end of the second period.

Wennberg scored his seventh goal to break Vasilevskiy’s shutout bid just 14 seconds into the third period.

Paul, returning after missing six games, responded with his sixth goal at 6:01, tying Tampa Bay’s season-high goal total.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Sam Montembeault and the Canadiens blanked the Predators

Sam Montembeault made 29 saves, and Patrik Laine scored his second power-play goal in two games, helping the Montreal Canadiens win 3-0 against the struggling Nashville Predators on Thursday.

Montembeault stopped all 13 shots he faced in the third period, earning his third shutout of the season and the fourth of his career.

Jake Evans contributed a goal and an assist, Laine scored during a 5-on-3 power play, and Joel Armia added an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

Captain Nick Suzuki and rookie defenseman Lane Hutson each recorded an assist, extending their point streaks to five games. The Canadiens improved to 2-0-0 on their five-game homestand.

Nashville’s Justus Annunen made 27 saves in his first start since being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

However, Annunen didn’t get much offensive help as the Predators lost their sixth straight game (0-3-3) and dropped to 2-8-4 on the road.

Sam Montembeault makes a stick save in the 2nd period

Before the game, Nashville announced that forward Ryan O’Reilly would be week-to-week with a lower-body injury. O’Reilly, a former Selke and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, is one game away from his 1,100th career NHL game.

While the Predators were on the power play, Jonathan Marchessault made a poor blind backhand pass from below the goal line in the offensive zone. This led to a quick rush the other way, with Evans keeping the puck and firing a shot from the left circle that beat Annunen to open the scoring at 7:50 of the first period.

Evans’ goal was his fifth in 26 games this season, compared to just seven in 82 games last year.

Laine made it 2-0 at 1:14 of the third period, blasting a shot from the left circle past Annunen. Laine was playing in his second game since recovering from a sprained knee sustained in the preseason.

Nashville nearly cut the lead in half later in the third, but referee Tom Chmielewski quickly waved off the goal, ruling that Gus Nyquist had kicked the puck into the net.

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NBA (Basketball)

NBA roundup: Cavaliers defeat Nuggets despite Nikola Jokic’s standout performance

Nikola Jokic moved up to No. 3 on the all-time triple-double list with 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists at Cleveland, but his Denver Nuggets couldn’t keep up with the Cavaliers’ 3-point shooting and lost 126-114 on Thursday night.

Jokic’s 139th career triple-double broke his tie with Magic Johnson. It was also his second triple-double this season with more than 20 points and 20 rebounds.

The Cleveland group of Donovan Mitchell (28 points), Darius Garland (24), Caris LeVert (21), and Evan Mobley (20) combined to hit 17 three-pointers and score 93 points.

The Cavaliers got their third win in a row, while the Nuggets have alternated wins and losses for nine games.

Mavericks 137, Wizards 101

Luka Doncic recorded his first triple-double of the season as Dallas won its sixth straight game, dominating host Washington.

Doncic finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for his 78th regular-season triple-double. Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 25 points for the Mavericks, who have won 10 of their last 11 games, and former Wizards center Daniel Gafford scored 16 points off the bench.

Malcolm Brogdon and Marvin Bagley III each scored 16 points, and Carlton Carrington added 15 for the Wizards, who tied their franchise record with their 16th straight loss in one season.

Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards

Warriors 99, Rockets 93

Jonathan Kuminga set a career-high with 33 points, and Andrew Wiggins scored 23 as Golden State defeated Houston for the 15th consecutive time, winning in San Francisco.

With Stephen Curry resting sore knees and Draymond Green dealing with a calf injury, Golden State used a 21-4 run bridging the second and third quarters to take the lead for good, ending a five-game losing streak.

The Rockets, trying to beat the Warriors for the first time since February 2020, got 16 points from Alperen Sengun and 15 from Dillon Brooks in a balanced attack while dropping their second straight.

Knicks 125, Hornets 121

Karl-Anthony Towns led New York to an easy victory over Charlotte with his 12th straight double-double.

Towns scored 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting and grabbed 16 rebounds. New York had all five starters score in double figures, with OG Anunoby adding 25 points, followed by Jalen Brunson (24), Mikal Bridges (19), and Josh Hart (18). Hart also had 10 rebounds and six assists.

The Hornets got 26 points and six rebounds from Brandon Miller but were outshot 53.9 percent to 44.9 percent. This was their seventh loss in a row. Vasilije Micic had 14 points and 12 assists, and Seth Curry added 18 points off the bench.

Thunder 129, Raptors 92

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points as Oklahoma City beat Toronto.

Jalen Williams added 20 points for the Thunder, who have won two in a row and six of their last seven games. Isaiah Joe contributed 16 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 16 rebounds and six assists.

RJ Barrett had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who had their four-game home winning streak snapped. Scottie Barnes had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.

Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors

Pelicans 126, Suns 124

Brandon Ingram scored 29 points, and CJ McCollum had 25 as New Orleans ended a nine-game losing streak by defeating Phoenix.

McCollum scored on a drive to break a tie in the final minute, then assisted Trey Murphy III for a dunk and a 125-121 lead with 14 seconds left. Murphy finished with 19 points, and Dejounte Murray had 17 for the Pelicans.

Devin Booker scored 28 points, and Bradley Beal added 24 for the Suns, who had won three of their last four games.

Grizzlies 115, Kings 110

Memphis got 60 points from its reserves and survived losing Ja Morant to a late-game ejection in a win over Sacramento.

Marcus Smart had 18 points off the bench, and starter Desmond Bane also scored 18 to lead the Grizzlies, who won their sixth straight home game. Santi Aldama contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds. Morant was ejected after receiving his second technical foul in just 82 seconds during the fourth quarter.

Sacramento was led by DeMar DeRozan, who had a game-high 26 points, and Malik Monk, who scored 23. De’Aaron Fox added 18 points, six rebounds, and six steals, and Domantas Sabonis had 17 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.

Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings

Bulls 139, Spurs 124

Nikola Vucevic scored a season-high 39 points, and Ayo Dosunmu recorded a season-best 27 points along with 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career triple-double as Chicago beat San Antonio.

The Bulls led by 11 points entering the fourth quarter after fending off a late San Antonio run. The Spurs narrowed the lead to 130-122 on two Keldon Johnson free throws with 3:18 left, but Chicago scored nine straight points, capped by Vucevic’s banked layup with 1:31 remaining, to seal the win.

Keldon Johnson had 28 points off the bench for the Spurs. Devin Vassell scored 17 points, and Jeremy Sochan added 16 points and 14 rebounds. San Antonio played without star center Victor Wembanyama (sore back).

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Warriors continue their winning streak against Rockets, now at 15 games

Jonathan Kuminga scored a career-high 33 points, and Andrew Wiggins added 23 as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 99-93, extending their winning streak against Houston to 15 games in San Francisco.

With Stephen Curry resting due to sore knees and Draymond Green dealing with a calf injury, the Warriors used a 21-4 run between the second and third quarters to take control and break a five-game losing streak.

The Rockets, trying to beat the Warriors for the first time since February 2020, got 16 points from Alperen Sengun and 15 points from Dillon Brooks in a balanced effort but lost their second straight game.

Houston led for the first 21 minutes of a low-scoring first half, holding a 42-40 advantage before Moses Moody hit a 3-pointer and Wiggins turned a 27-foot shot into a four-point play. This sparked a 9-1 run that gave the Warriors a 49-43 lead at halftime.

Stephen Curry slides into the scorers table after a foul

Golden State carried their momentum into the second half, with Wiggins and Kuminga hitting 3-pointers in a 12-3 run that stretched their lead to 61-46.

The Rockets made a push and closed the gap to four points twice in the final 1:36, and got as close as 96-93 with Sengun’s layup with 32.6 seconds left.

However, Kuminga answered each time, scoring inside, hitting one of two free throws, and then driving for a layup with 16.9 seconds left to seal the win for the Warriors.

Despite shooting just 41.9 percent from the field, the Warriors won, while the Rockets shot 37.6 percent.

Kuminga’s 33 points were two more than his previous career-high, set in January against the Sacramento Kings. Brandin Podziemski grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 8 points, while Kevon Looney had 11 rebounds for the Warriors.

Sengun and Amen Thompson grabbed 8 rebounds each for the Rockets, while Thompson and Fred VanVleet recorded 5 assists each. Jalen Green and Thompson each scored 14 points, and VanVleet added 13.

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NBA (Basketball)

Grizzlies’ bench shines in win against Kings

The Memphis Grizzlies received 60 points from their bench and overcame the ejection of star Ja Morant late in the game to beat the Sacramento Kings 115-110 on Thursday night.

Marcus Smart came off the bench to score 18 points, while Desmond Bane, a starter, also had 18 points, leading the Grizzlies to their sixth straight home win.

Santi Aldama recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Jake LaRavia, another reserve, finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.

The Kings were led by DeMar DeRozan, who scored a game-high 26 points, and Malik Monk, who added 23 points. De’Aaron Fox contributed 18 points and six steals, while Domantas Sabonis posted 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Morant was ejected after picking up his second technical foul in just 82 seconds in the fourth quarter. The second technical came after a controversial shooting foul on DeRozan with 6:45 remaining, when the Grizzlies were leading 98-97.

Morant had a rough night, making only 2 of 13 shots, including missing all six of his 3-point attempts, and finishing with just eight points in 28 minutes.

Ja Morant celebrates a three pointer

The Kings led early in the fourth quarter, but Memphis rallied behind Bane and the bench. Bane hit a pull-up jumper to give Memphis a 112-108 lead with 1:33 left, and Smart added three free throws in the final 1:18.

Sacramento had a strong third quarter, pushing ahead 78-71 with six minutes left. But Memphis, led by their bench, responded with a 15-0 run to take an 86-78 lead. Bane and Aldama each hit a 3-pointer during the run.

The Kings finished the quarter with an 8-0 run to tie the game at 86 heading into the fourth.

The first half was equally close. The Grizzlies trailed by 12 points midway through the second quarter after Monk hit a 3-pointer to give Sacramento a 56-44 lead.

Smart helped Memphis close the half with a 16-4 run, and the Grizzlies took a 63-62 lead into halftime. Smart contributed 11 of the bench’s 34 first-half points, along with four assists.

The Grizzlies were also without Luke Kennard (illness) and had hoped to get 7-4 rookie center Zach Edey back soon. However, after working with the G-League team, the Grizzlies determined that Edey would need more time to heal from his ankle injury.

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Nikola Vucevic scores 39 points as Bulls defeat Spurs

Nikola Vucevic scored a season-high 39 points, and Ayo Dosunmu added 27 points along with a career-high 11 rebounds, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 139-124 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

The Bulls were ahead by 11 points going into the final quarter after holding off a brief Spurs rally late in the third. San Antonio cut the lead to 130-122 with 3:18 left on two free throws by Keldon Johnson, but Chicago responded with nine straight points, finishing with Vucevic’s layup at 1:31 to seal the victory.

Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 13 points, and Dalen Terry added 12 points for the Bulls, who won their second straight game. Matas Buzelis scored 11 points, while Zach LaVine contributed 11 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists.

For the Spurs, Keldon Johnson scored 28 points off the bench. Devin Vassell had 17 points, Jeremy Sochan added 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, and Julian Champagnie each scored 12 points. Paul also recorded nine assists.

Nikola Vucevic and Wendell Carter Jr. in the 1st half

San Antonio played without star center Victor Wembanyama, who missed the game due to a sore back. This was their second consecutive loss and third in the past four games.

The Bulls dominated the first quarter, taking a 36-22 lead, with Dosunmu scoring 11 points. Chicago stretched the lead to 20 points when Matas Buzelis dunked with 2:43 remaining in the second quarter. A last-second jumper from Charles Bassey cut the Spurs’ deficit to 14 points, but Vucevic’s putback gave Chicago a 73-57 lead at halftime.

Vucevic led the Bulls with 13 points before the break, as Chicago shot 60% from the field, while the Spurs shot 43.1%. Johnson led San Antonio in the first half with 11 points.

In the game, the Bulls made 57.8% of their field goals, while the Spurs hit 46.3%. Chicago had a significant advantage from beyond the arc, making 45.9% of their 3-pointers (17 of 37), compared to San Antonio’s 28.6% (8 of 28).